Kannur ,August 31(IANS)

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Monday questioned the authority of CPM Kannur district secretary K K Ragesh to allegedly threaten the MLAs representing Taliparamba and Payyannur at public meetings.

Addressing a press conference at the Payyambalam Guest House, Chennithala accused Ragesh of making intimidating remarks against Payyannur MLA V Kunhikrishnan and Taliparamba MLA T K Govindan during political explanation meetings organised by the CPM following its electoral setbacks in Kannur.

The minister said statements suggesting that action would be taken against the two legislators were unacceptable in a democratic system. Political disagreements, he said, should be addressed through debate and not through threats or attempts at intimidation.

Chennithala also condemned the alleged campaign that the LDF candidate in Taliparamba had lost the election because she was a woman. Describing the argument as deeply misogynistic, he asked CPM state secretary M V Govindan to clarify whether he endorsed such views expressed by party functionaries.

The Home Minister accused the CPM leadership of attempting to blame voters for the party’s electoral reverses. He alleged that the political explanation meetings were being used by the Opposition to challenge the people’s verdict instead of acknowledging its organisational and political failures.

According to Chennithala, the meetings were organised ahead of the CPM’s expanded state conference to contain growing dissatisfaction and anger among party workers. He also sought an explanation from the leadership for Govindan’s absence from these meetings despite the seriousness of the issues being discussed.

Responding to remarks attributed to Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, Chennithala said they might represent the position of the Samastha. However, he made it clear that the government did not agree with conservative views seeking to prevent women from entering public life.

Women’s active participation in social and political affairs was essential for the State’s progress, he added.